The Greatest of These
by Aardwulf
Summary: While searching for Tai after the battle with Etemon, Sora and Biyomon encounter a cunning new foe. Lemme know what you think of this one; I'm kinda iffy about it.


~DISCLAIMER~  
I do not own any of the characters associated with "Digimon: Digital Monsters". No profit is sought with the distribution of this story, and no infringement of copyright is intended or should be inferred. Contents under pressure; do not expose to open flame.  
  
THE GREATEST OF THESE  
By Aardwulf  
February 2001  
  
It was raining. The last thing she needed, really, was rain, but it wasn't as though she could do anything about it. She trudged on through the constant steady drizzle, heedless of the water dripping off the brim of her hat and trickling down her face.  
  
"Sora?"  
  
It wasn't really the rain that was bothering her, anyway. She'd walked in the rain before; she could handle a little physical discomfort. It was the ache in her heart and the turmoil in her mind that had caused her to withdraw into herself.  
  
"Sora?..."  
  
That flying rat DemiDevimon had been right, she acknowledged blackly. She didn't know what love was. She had never known love. She was incapable of loving. Her Crest would never glow; she was useless.  
  
"Sora, won't you at least talk to me?"  
  
Sora slowly came to a halt and turned to gaze down at Biyomon with empty eyes. The little bird digimon looked concerned, her wet pink plumage clinging to her body, her bright blue eyes questioning and worried. Sora sighed heavily.  
  
"What's to talk about, Biyomon?" she asked, gesturing aimlessly with one hand before letting it drop to her side.   
  
Biyomon shifted from foot to foot uneasily, glancing at the sodden ground and then back up at Sora. "You've been acting so sad ever since we ran into DemiDevimon. Did he upset you?"  
  
The girl scowled deeply and looked away, ignoring the rainwater that trickled into her eyes. "What makes you think he upset me?"  
  
"You can't believe anything he says, Sora. He only said those things to hurt you." The digimon came to stand in front of her human. "You're not going to let him get what he wants, are you?"  
  
"What does it matter?" Sora exploded, startling Biyomon into jumping back a bit. "What does any of it matter? Tai's gone, we're lost, we have no idea what's happened to the others..." She clenched her fists in despair and frustration, raising them before her as though seeking to strike something. Instead, she slumped back against a tree, sliding down its trunk and lowering herself to the ground. "And it's all my fault."  
  
Biyomon tipped her head to the side, watching the disconsolate girl with troubled eyes. "Your fault? How could it be your fault?"  
  
Sora reached down and tugged something out from under her shirt. It was her Tag and Crest, gleaming dully in the rain. She gazed at the pendent hatefully.  
  
"We just had to go into Etemon's pyramid to find this stupid thing," she murmured. Her scowl deepened at the next memory. "And I just had to go and get captured." Biyomon seemed about to protest, but Sora cut her off. "And then Tai just had to come try to rescue me." Her eyes welled up with tears, which she angrily wiped away with the back of one hand. "And now he's gone. He's gone, and I have no idea where. He could be dead for all I know. He could be lost and hurt and alone, and for what? For this worthless Crest? This stupid thing that'll never be any good to anyone?"  
  
Seized with fury, she yanked the trinket off, jerking it roughly over her head and heaving it at the ground. It landed at Biyomon's feet, and the digimon stared at it a moment before carefully plucking it off the ground with her wingtips and shuffling in front of Sora.  
  
"Don't say that, Sora," she pleaded softly. "You're letting DemiDevimon have his way. He wants you to believe those lies, but you can't. You wouldn't be one of the Digi-Destined if you were worthless." She cocked her head to the side to peer into her partner's downcast eyes. "And I know you're not worthless. You mean everything in the world to me."  
  
Sora sniffled a bit and wiped her eyes again. "You have to say that," she replied miserably. "You're my digimon."  
  
Biyomon shook her head. "I'm your friend, and I never say anything I don't mean." She gave the girl a reassuring, empathetic smile. "Everything will work out. I know it will. We'll find Tai and the others together. You'll see."  
  
Sora regarded her digi-partner a few moments longer, listening to the rain patter down among the foliage. Then she threw her arms about Biyomon, drawing her into a warm embrace.  
  
"Thanks, Biyo." Sora smiled through her tears. "You always know just what to say."  
  
Biyomon nuzzled her affectionately, then suddenly stiffened. Sora noticed and withdrew. "What's wrong?" she asked as the avian turned and began scanning the jungle warily.  
  
"Something's here," she told the girl, her eyes shifting this way and that, ribbony topknot bobbing apprehensively.  
  
Sora stood, following her partner's example and glancing around. "Is it DemiDevimon again?" she growled. "Because if it is, I'm gonna make him sorry he was ever hatched."  
  
Biyomon shook her head. "It's not just one something...I sense lots of them, all around us."   
  
A few tense moments passed. The undergrowth abruptly exploded as a horde of smallish digimon burst forth, surrounding Sora and Biyomon.  
  
They were not quite as tall as Sora herself, and they looked rather scrawny, but there was a certain menacing quality about them that struck a twinge of fear in Sora's heart. Perhaps it was their hideous appearance - they resembled some sort of cross between a lizard and a vulture, with surprisingly wide, humped shoulders and scraggly topknots of stringy black hair atop their heads. Sharp horns protruded from each temple, and they sported vicious-looking beaks full of tiny, sharp teeth. Their clawed hands and hind talons looked capable of inflicting some serious damage as well. Each digimon's thin frame was shrouded by a tattered garment that gave it the appearance of having batlike wings on its arms.  
  
Biyomon began edging back, herding Sora towards the cover of the trees. The creatures followed, baring their teeth and uttering a strange sort of cackle.  
  
"Biyomon, what are they?" Sora asked in a hushed tone, never taking her eyes off of them.  
  
"Tsumemon," her partner responded tersely. "They're not very strong individually, but they're known for hunting in groups."  
  
"Great," Sora groaned, coming to an abrupt halt as she found her backwards progress blocked by a particularly wide tree. One of the Tsumemon loosed a blood-curdling shriek - its sound resembling a combination wolf-howl and crow's caw - and leaped at Sora.   
  
Biyomon took to the air, her eyes flashing, sodden wings pumping madly just to keep her aloft long enough to launch her attack. "Spiral Twister! RRRHHAAA!" The burst of green fire struck the charging monster head-on and it dropped to the ground, crying out in pain as it pawed at its singed face.  
  
The other Tsumemon were not long in picking up their fallen comrade's onslaught. Biyomon dropped to the ground, unable to stay airborne, and turned to Sora. "You've got to get out of here, Sora! Run!"  
  
"No! I won't leave you, Biyomon!" Sora started forward to help her friend, but another Tsumemon darted forward, leaping between the girl and Biyomon. Sora pulled to a stop, staring the Tsumemon in the eye for a split second before whirling to evade its snapping jaws and slashing talons.  
  
She charged through the jungle, determined to lose the pursuing beast and return to help her partner. The little digimon was weary from the day's travels; Sora wasn't sure if Biyomon had enough energy to digivolve, and she couldn't fend off the Tsumemon alone in her current state. The monster that was chasing Sora was persistent, however; no matter how she weaved and dodged, it was constantly on her tail, cackling in a most disconcerting manner.  
  
Sora was growing desperate. Directly ahead of her lay an old, hollowed-out log; it looked like a tight fit, but it might dissuade the Tsumemon from following. She dove for the open end of the log, landing hard and scraping her bare elbows. Pausing to catch her breath, she glanced over her shoulder to see her attacker charging right for the old log. Sora braced herself, trying to scramble farther down the length of the enclosed space. She'd been wrong; the monster would be upon her and she'd be trapped with nowhere to go...  
  
Something slammed into the log, giving it a great jolt, and Sora realised that it was the Tsumemon. It was staring in at her, its pale green eyes glowing in the dim light, apparently furious at not being able to follow her into her shelter. The opening of the log was apparently too narrow to admit its broad shoulders and hunched back, but it reached in a spindly forelimb and took several wild slashes at her legs, hissing angrily.  
  
Sora bared her own teeth in response and aimed a furious kick at the beast's head, catching it right in the beak. With a screech of pain, the creature withdrew, clutching its wounded snout.  
  
Seeing this as a prime opportunity to make her escape and find her way back to her partner, Sora crawled forward as quickly as possible on her hands and knees, heading for the other end of the old log.  
  
The ground seemed to drop out from under her as the ceiling came down, striking her smartly on the top of her head. With a shock of dismay, Sora realised that the log must have been sitting on uneven ground, and her shifting weight had caused it to lose its precarious balance. At a loss, Sora risked a quick glance over her shoulder. The Tsumemon was staring in at her, cackling once more as it watched her end of the log slowly angle downwards and begin sliding down the slope.  
  
Its descent was swift and uncontrollable; at some point in its journey, the log struck a large rock head-on, jarring Sora severely and turning the hollow tree trunk sideways. In its new position, it rolled freely down the slope, gaining speed as it went. Sora felt as though she were trapped inside a vortex, spinning wildly within the log, slamming against the walls of her prison.  
  
Finally, with another bone-jarring thud, the log came to an abrupt halt against a cluster of boulders at the foot of the slope. Sora lay where she was for several minutes, squeezing her eyes shut in a desperate attempt to stop the world from spinning round her in a sickening dance. She remembered Biyomon, alone in the forest with the Tsumemon, and shakily she pushed herself onto hands and knees. She crawled weakly out of the log, swaying from side to side, and she clenched her teeth against the wave of nausea that threatened to overtake her.  
  
Mustering her strength, Sora pushed herself to her feet. Her surroundings rocked to and fro and bile surged in her throat. She attempted to take a step forward and stumbled, her knees buckling beneath her. Frustrated and weak, all she could do was slump to the ground, groaning softly.  
  
A shadow fell over her and she looked up. It was still hard to make out any details, as everything in sight kept dipping and swaying, appearing in twos and threes; but she could barely make out a mammoth form peering down at her, icy blue eyes studying her unblinkingly. The creature - its hide ivory-white in colour - had a long, thick neck supporting a wedge-shaped, horned head, and it stood on four sturdy, razor-clawed feet. A long tail drifted behind it, lashing this way and that as the creature stared down at her.  
  
At the mercy of this new and clearly powerful beast, Sora did the only thing any sensible person would do in her position.  
  
She passed out.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Rain was still falling; she could hear it beating its soft tattoo on the ground and its fresh, clean scent filled her nostrils. She could not feel any wetness on her upturned cheeks, though; and come to think of it, she recalled losing consciousness facedown on the grass.  
  
With a groan, Sora opened her eyes. She found herself staring at a smooth rock ceiling far overhead, shrouded in shadow; she seemed to be in a large cave, through the opening of which weak sunlight spilled in. She became aware of tiny, shuffling noises all round her. Curious as well as worried, she slowly pushed herself into a sitting position, holding a hand to her aching head. She hurt all over, as though her body were one solid bruise.  
  
A sound by her side; she looked up, startled, to see the behemoth she'd encountered earlier standing over her once more. It gazed down at her with that piercing blue stare, long tail flicking lazily; and then it spoke.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Its voice was distinctly feminine, rather matronly, but soft and gentle, and Sora felt some of her uneasiness dissipate.  
  
"I've felt better," Sora replied honestly, wincing at the throbbing in her head. She peered out of the cave, trying to gauge the time of day. "How long have I been asleep?"  
  
The lizardlike creature followed Sora's gaze, extending her serpentine neck. "I found you at the edge of the jungle a few hours ago. You were so silent after I brought you to our cave, I feared you were dead."  
  
"Your cave?" Sora blinked as her host's words sunk in. "*Our* cave? You mean there are more than one of you?" She glanced quickly around and saw more of the pale-skinned beasts watching her silently from rock ledges around the perimeter of the cave.  
  
The creature nodded solemnly, tucking her slender head down near her chest. "We are the Ryuumon," she told Sora, her tone still soft. "We don't get many visitors, but we are happy to help those in need." She leaned down to better examine the girl. "What is your name, little one?"  
  
"I'm Sora," she replied, returning the Ryuumon's gaze; she could see her whole face reflected in one bright blue eye. "And thank you for helping me."  
  
Ryuumon-sama nodded once more, drawing herself back up to her full height. "I smelled Tsumemon when I came upon you," she told Sora. The pale digimon half-lidded her luminous eyes, gazing at the girl sleepily, yet intently. "You were attacked in the forest before I found you," she murmured, "while traveling with another..."  
  
Sora nodded vigorously. "I was with Biyomon."  
  
The dragoness dipped her head once, her estimation confirmed. "And together you were searching for your friends." The brilliant sapphire eyes opened fully once more, their expression serious. "Somehow you were separated from your travelling companions after a great battle."  
  
The girl stared at Ryuumon-sama in open-mouthed astonishment. "How did you know?"  
  
"We Ryuumon have the ability to sense things," the matriarch replied enigmatically. "We can detect the thoughts and feelings of others, and discern the presence of other beings, to an extent."  
  
"'To an extent'? What do you mean?"  
  
"I know, for example, that you are looking for the Biyomon and your other friends," the digimon replied. "And I can tell you that Biyomon is still alive."  
  
Sora straightened at the mention of her partner's name, her heart soaring at the prospect of being reunited with Biyomon and the other Digi-Destined. "You mean the Tsumemon haven't killed her? Then why did they attack us?"  
  
Ryuumon-sama regarded her young charge gravely. "The Tsumemon will not have harmed your friend any more than necessary," she told Sora. "They do not hunt for themselves, but for their master, Waseimon."  
  
"Waseimon?" Sora queried, not sure whether to feel relieved or more panicked at her companion's announcement.  
  
"Waseimon has the ability to control digimon weaker than himself," the white dragon explained. "His hobby is capturing other creatures to amuse him. He cannot leave his prisoners to go searching for more, however, so he sends the Tsumemon out to find new victims." Ryuumon-sama fixed Sora with her calm stare. "More than likely your friend Biyomon has become the newest addition to Waseimon's collection."  
  
Sora jumped to her feet, ignoring her body's aches of protest and the sudden dizzy feeling in her head. "I've got to help her!"  
  
Unsteadily, she made her way to the mouth of the cave, leaning against the cool rock for a moment to collect herself. Looking back over her shoulder, she saw that the matriarch was staring back at Sora with astonishment.  
  
The girl frowned. "What's wrong?"  
  
"You cannot face Waseimon alone, Sora," the digimon told her, sounding flabbergasted at the very idea. "To do so would be madness."  
  
"Well," Sora replied, still puzzled at the look of utter shock on the Ryuumon's face, "you're more than welcome to join me. It sounds like I'll need all the help I can get."  
  
Ryuumon-sama strode forward, making nary a sound despite her considerable bulk. "You do not understand, little one," she said calmly. "We Ryuumon choose not to tangle with Waseimon and his cronies. We have tried very hard to find a place to live where he and his Tsumemon will not find us, and we prefer to keep it that way."  
  
Sora stared up at the white digimon, leaning heavily on the cave wall. "But why? There are plenty of you, and you're so much bigger than the Tsumemon. Is Waseimon that terrible?"  
  
"He wants to control us!" cried one of the Ryuumon lounging on a rock ledge. "He's done it before - taken over some of our number. What's to stop him from doing it again?"  
  
"Then that should be all the more reason for you to stand up to him!" Sora said emphatically. "You're not going to let him keep your friends prisoner, are you?"   
  
Her question was answered with silence.   
  
Sora gaped at the huge creatures unbelievingly. "You're so afraid of one little digimon that you're not even willing to help your friends?" She clenched her fists, shaking with anger. "Well, maybe you are. But I'm *not*. I care about Biyomon, and I'm not going to let someone control her for the rest of her life. If you're not willing to save some of your own family from Waseimon, then you *are* the kind of weak digimon he wants to control." Sora tilted her head back to stare into Ryuumon-sama's face. "If you're not going to come with me, can you at least tell me how to find Waseimon, so I can help Biyo?"  
  
The blue-eyed creature regarded her sadly. "Go west until you reach the river. Follow it downstream and soon you will come to a bridge. Cross it, and you will be in Waseimon's territory."   
  
Sora nodded stiffly. "Thank you for your help, Ryuumon. Maybe I'll be able to return the favour."   
  
Still wobbling somewhat, she turned and stalked off into the drizzle.  
  
Silence filled the Ryuumon's cave for several long moments. "Poor foolish Sora," murmured one of the lesser digimon. "May the fates protect her."  
  
Their matriarch stared after the strange, determined little human, lost in thought.  
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
Sora paused at the simple footbridge to catch her breath and gather her wits. She couldn't blame the Ryuumon for being afraid of this Waseimon, who - even though she had yet to see him - sounded like a force to be reckoned with. She would have been lying if she'd said she wasn't somewhat frightened, but she couldn't let her fear stand in the way of her mission. Biyomon needed her; she couldn't let her partner down.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Sora crossed the bridge, glancing uneasily down at the rushing river waters below. She continued on into the dark forest shadowing the opposite bank; the further she ventured, the blacker her surroundings seemed, until finally she could see nothing at all.  
  
She drew to a halt, staring about in the darkness. Everything looked the same; there was no way to tell which direction she was going or which she had come. Fear began to mount inside her, and she despaired of ever finding her way out of this nightmarish forest and finding Biyomon.  
  
*Turn back.*  
  
Sora jumped at the voice, the voice that seemed to have come from the depths of her mind. Her head whipped this way and that, searching for whoever might have spoken.   
  
*Turn back, before it's too late.*  
  
Suddenly she froze, knowing at once who was commanding her in that low, eerie tone. She had, after all, walked right into his domain. No doubt he was toying with her, trying to test her will. Sora narrowed her eyes. She was not about to become one of the creature's weak-willed victims.  
  
"Waseimon!" she shouted. "I know you're here! And if you're as powerful as everyone seems to think you are, then you know why I'm here."  
  
The darkness seemed to ease a bit, and light formed in a small pool around Sora, illuminating her surroundings. As the girl looked round warily, a tiny, vaguely egg-shaped creature drifted towards her, hovering just out of reach. The rotund digimon was not much bigger than Yokomon, Sora guessed, though she knew appearances could be deceiving. He had a crafty, cunning look about him, glittering red eyes peering at her from beneath a prominent brow. His stubby arms were folded across his chest as he fanned tiny gossamer wings to stay aloft.  
  
Waseimon stared at her, a wicked smirk forming on his lips. "You're here to save your friend Biyomon, aren't you?"  
  
Sora nodded curtly, stepping forward. "Let her go. The Ryuumon, too."  
  
Waseimon raised an eyebrow at her. "You know about the Ryuumon, do you? Word does get around." He edged closer, casually extending one hand from which dangled a familiar-looking trinket. "I suppose you'll be wanting this little charm back, as well."  
  
Her eyes widened in surprise. Her Crest! She suddenly remembered that she'd never gotten it back from Biyomon before the Tsumemon attacked. Reflexively she reached forward, but Waseimon fluttered away, tauntingly.  
  
"So you want the Biyomon and the Ryuumon, do you? Bold words, strange one, but you won't convince me with idle chatter. If you want to free your little friend, you'll have to give me something in return."  
  
The girl eyed Waseimon suspiciously. "What did you have in mind?"  
  
The tiny digimon flitted round her head, humming thoughtfully. "Well, since you seem to know so much about me, you probably know that I like to be entertained. If you're going to take my diversions from me, I expect to be amused a little in the process." He paused in front of her. "I propose a series of challenges, at the end of which you will find your bird buddy. Make it through my gauntlet alive and you may leave."  
  
Sora hesitated. She would gladly do anything asked of her if it meant freeing Biyomon; she simply wasn't sure if she could hold Waseimon to his word.   
  
"You doubt me?" the psychic digimon queried, placing a hand over his heart. "I'm wounded. But then, I suppose you have a valid enough reason to be suspicious." He held up his hand as though swearing an oath. "I do solemnly pledge that you and your companion will be reunited - provided you survive my challenges." He spoke this last in a low tone, his red eyes narrowed, then folded his arms across his chest once more, waiting for her answer.  
  
Sora drew herself up to her full height and stared him in the eye. "All right. I'll do it."  
  
Waseimon clapped his hands together approvingly. "Excellent!"  
  
Sora shrugged, spreading her hands questioningly. "So where do I..."  
  
"Just start walking," the little creature instructed her curtly, and vanished into thin air.  
  
The girl stared at the spot where he'd been only a moment before, then shook herself and began making her way cautiously through the wood. It seemed like a small eternity before she noticed any change, but eventually the shadowy forest gave way to a rocky, mist-shrouded flatland, beyond which vague towering shapes could barely be seen through the fog.  
  
Sora started briskly across the uneven terrain, keeping her eyes and ears open for signs of danger as she headed towards the edge of the wasteland. She soon found herself in a narrow rock canyon through which wisps of fog wound their way like ethereal serpents.   
  
Trudging on, Sora began to get the uneasy feeling that she was being watched. She glanced around warily but could see nothing suspicious, no shadowy figures lurking in the fog waiting to pounce on her. Still, the feeling would not abate, and she cast another uneasy look around, her eyes traveling up the sides of the canyon to see if the source of her worry came from above.  
  
Sora very nearly froze when she noticed the unmistakable hunchbacked forms of several dozen Tsumemon prowling silently along the edge of the canyon. She could not make out any details from this distance, but they were clearly trailing her, and they seemed to realize that she had spotted them, for they started cackling loudly, making their way nimbly down the steep walls of the gorge using unseen footholds.  
  
There seemed to be no other recourse but to run, even though her legs protested loudly at this. Sora did not need to look back to know that the beasts were steadily gaining on her; though she'd gotten a negligible head start while they were climbing into the canyon, they were fast and agile, and running on all fours gave them a distinct advantage over their bipedal prey.   
  
She pelted through the gorge until her legs simply would not take any more, forcing Sora to stumble to a halt with the Tsumemon still bearing down on her; no amount of effort would convince them to keep moving. Clenching her teeth, Sora turned to face the giggling creatures, whose glowing amber eyes pierced the mist like headlamps.  
  
Well, maybe she couldn't run right at the moment, but she certainly wasn't going to go down without a fight. She cast about for a weapon; the only thing she found were a few stray rocks, which she heaved at the Tsumemon in hopes of striking some of them or at least convincing them that she was not a girl to be trifled with. Unfortunately, she accomplished neither; the monsters simply dodged the airborne hunks of stone without so much as slowing their approach.   
  
They paused, finally, forming a semicircle in front of her, leering at her with those beaksful of jagged teeth, flexing their talons hungrily. Sora stared back at them, trying to hide her fear, hoping they would not notice her trembling body or pounding heart.  
  
One of the creatures leaped at her from the side of the phalanx, and - acting more on instinct than anything else - she ducked and rolled out of its path, only to find two more of the beasts coming at her. She kicked out wildly, catching one in the chest, and swung her arm at the other, slamming her fist into the side of its head.  
  
Sora struggled to push herself up, paling at the sheer number of Tsumemon before her. She could never hope to fight them all off...  
  
She found herself set upon by half a dozen more of the little beasts, feeling them swarm over her and pin her to the ground. Involuntarily she screamed, recoiling from the claws and teeth that threatened to tear into her flesh, trying to close her ears to the sound of their insane giggling.  
  
The cackling suddenly ceased, replaced by a new cacophony of sounds - a deafening roar, a noise like a small explosion, and a chorus of terrified shrieks. Sora opened her eyes to see the canyon momentarily light up in a burst of fiery orange, Tsumemon leaping about and clamouring in surprise as several huge, pale shapes thundered towards them.  
  
Ryuumon-sama let loose another gout of flame, scorching several of the surprised creatures while her clanmates filed in beside her, adding their attacks to that of their matriarch. The Tsumemon pinning Sora left their smaller quarry to battle the Ryuumon - all save one, who stared over its shoulder for a few moments before turning back to face Sora.  
  
Those distracted moments were all the girl needed as she lunged forward and soundly head-butted the creature, slamming it right between the eyes. It reeled back and slumped senseless to the ground.  
  
Sora climbed to her feet and straightened her blue helmet, feeling very glad at the moment that she was wearing the silly thing after all. Ryuumon-sama fired off another blast at a group of shrieking Tsumemon and then called out to the girl, "Go! Find your friend! We can take care of the Tsumemon!"  
  
Sora nodded, once, and turned on her heel to continue down the gorge, forcing strength into her aching legs. The mist cleared the further she ran, and soon she could see the rock walls of the canyon taper off, revealing another shadowy expanse of forest beyond.  
  
The sounds of battle had faded behind her, and Sora paused to catch her breath and look over her shoulder, wondering if the Ryuumon had managed to fight off the hordes of Tsumemon. Perhaps she should go back and see if they needed help? No, she told herself firmly; the matriarch had told her to go, and Sora would be of no use to the draconic digimon right now. Once she recovered Biyomon, they could go back and fight together.  
  
At the sudden sound of cracking tree limbs from the forest in front of her, Sora whirled to see five or six Ryuumon emerge, lumbering silently towards her. She was confused for a moment, wondering how some of the clan could have gotten ahead of her, before realizing that these must be the lost Ryuumon who had been captured by Waseimon.   
  
The digimon craned their long serpentine necks forward to stare at her with glowing red eyes, and Sora shuddered involuntarily, unsure of the creatures' intentions. One of the Ryuumon stepped to the fore of the group and drew its head back, sucking in a deep breath. Then, with a sharp, fluid motion, the wedge-shaped head snapped forward, jaws gaping wide as a monstrous fireball shot forth, headed directly for Sora.  
  
She leaped out of its path almost on reflex, feeling it sizzle through the air scant inches behind her. The force with which it struck the ground sent the girl flying; she landed hard and could only lie for several moments on her back, stunned. Angling her head somewhat awkwardly, she could see the group of Ryuumon moving steadily towards her, still silent. Hurriedly, she scrambled to her feet.  
  
"Stop!" she cried, holding up her hands in a supplicating gesture. "I'm here to help you! Your friends are coming, they're right behind me!"  
  
The lead Ryuumon responded by belching another fireball at her.  
  
Before Sora could react, she was aware of another flaming sphere shooting over her head, striking the first projectile head on and snuffing it out in a fiery burst, preventing it from reaching its mark. The earth trembled and Sora whirled just in time to see Ryuumon-sama leaping towards her, coming to a halt with her massive forelegs braced on either side of the girl. Her tail, thick as a large sapling, slashed furiously as she regarded her brainwashed clanmates with snapping blue eyes.  
  
The captive digimon paused in their advance to gaze at Ryuumon-sama with something resembling surprise. It was almost as though some part of them recognized their leader and they were struggling through Waseimon's control to identify exactly who she was.  
  
Sora could feel the ground shaking again as the remaining free Ryuumon thundered up the gorge, flanking their chief. The matriarch spoke to Sora in a low voice, never taking her eyes off of the brainwashed digimon several yards away.  
  
"The clan and I will distract the others while you run to the forest. We have faith in you, little one." She dropped her gaze at last to catch Sora's uncertain hazel eyes in her own. "Defeat Waseimon and save your friend - and ours."  
  
Still the girl hesitated. She didn't want the Ryuumon to have to hurt each other just so she could have a chance to escape.  
  
Ryuumon-sama noticed her resistance and spoke again, firmly. "You have come too far to turn back now, Sora. You can't give up on your friend as we have abandoned ours for so long. Now, go!" With that, she lunged forward over Sora's head, the rest of her clan following in her wake, to intercept their captive brethren. The girl stood rooted to the spot, staring at the mass of white bodies milling round each other, but then she gathered her resolve and squared her shoulders. The dragon digimon was right. She had come so far already; she could not give up on Biyomon now. Taking a deep breath, she broke into a run, pounding through the sea of dust kicked up by the stomping, snarling Ryuumon. Several times Waseimon's captives darted out to stop her, only to be blocked by their free-willed clanmates.   
  
She ran until the sounds of battle had faded into the distance behind her, muffled by the close-growing trees of Waseimon's forest. Heeding the plea of her weary, aching legs, Sora drew to a halt, bracing her arms on her knees as she paused to catch her breath, wondering what else the little sneak would throw at her.  
  
As though in reply, a shaft of dim light beamed down upon her, as it had when she'd first entered the forest, and Waseimon's voice commended her. "Well done, strangeling! I've seen bigger creatures than you fail my little tests. I must admit, I'm impressed."  
  
"Where's Biyomon?" Sora demanded, straightening up. She was getting sick of the digimon's games. "What else do I have to do for you?"  
  
"As I said, you've performed splendidly," Waseimon replied, his tone magnanimous. "Since you've already found the Ryuumon, I've generously set them free, so there should be a nice little reunion going on right about now. As for your other little friend..." The voice paused, and the shaft of light branched off, weaving through the trees to Sora's right. "She's right this way."  
  
That was all the girl needed to hear. Energy coursed through her tired body, and she sprinted through the trees, following the guiding light to a little clearing in the wood. Silhouetted against the light was a familiar and welcome form.  
  
"Biyomon!" Sora cried, starting towards her friend. The birdlike digimon offered no response to the sight of her partner or the sound of her voice, and Sora slowed her advance, suspicion nipping at the back of her mind. The tiny shape of Biyomon was swallowed up in a blinding white light, and as she shielded her eyes from its glare, Sora could see a larger shape taking form inside the glowing sphere. When the light subsided, Birdramon stood where the little rookie had been only moments before, staring down at Sora with unearthly red eyes.  
  
"Oh, no..." Sora breathed.  
  
Birdramon unfurled her fiery wings and screeched at Sora, her clouded mind refusing to recognize the human she was sworn to protect. The girl could only stare in dismay at her partner, unsure of what to do. She had no idea how to free Birdramon from Waseimon's control; the little creep had promised he'd let her go.  
  
"What is this, Waseimon?" Sora cried, and Birdramon shrieked again, as though challenging the tiny girl before her. "Is this some kind of joke?"  
  
"Not at all, dear girl." Waseimon appeared again, hovering before Birdramon's sharp-toothed beak, and Sora viciously willed the giant avian to snap him up and swallow him whole. "I said you'd find your friend if you made it through my gauntlet alive, and that afterwards you were free to leave. And - here you both are! I believe you can find the exit yourself." He folded his arms across his chest and grinned maliciously at Sora.  
  
The girl clenched her fists and glowered up at him, her eyes flashing. "This wasn't what I meant! I thought that if I did everything you asked of me, you'd let Biyomon go and we could leave here together!"  
  
"Is that so?" Waseimon feigned shock. "Perhaps you should have been more specific at the outset."  
  
Sora growled and reigned in the urge to leap at Waseimon, knowing that her attempts to catch and strangle him would be in vain. "Listen, you...you *monster*," she said hotly, "if you don't set her free *right now* - "  
  
"You'll what?" Waseimon demanded, all the joviality gone from his tone. "Flail wildly at me? Try to bean me with that stupid helmet? I think not. In fact," he fluttered back and made a simple, commanding gesture at Birdramon, "I believe I'll let you and your pal have a little bonding time while I sit back and enjoy the irony."  
  
At his command, Birdramon raised one clawed foot and stepped forward, screeching furiously at Sora. The flames of her plumage snapped angrily, casting a hellish orange light over the surrounding forest. The girl took a few nervous steps back, her eyes wide with fear and disbelief. Her own partner was turning on her! Biyomon, her best friend in the whole world, treating her as though she were nothing more than an enemy digimon to be fought and destroyed!  
  
A wild idea sprang to Sora's mind. She refused to accept the fact that Biyomon would forget who she was; somewhere behind those glaring red eyes was the partner who cared about Sora, and about whom Sora cared in return. There had to be some way of bringing her round.  
  
"Biyomon!" Sora called, using the name with which they were both most familiar. "Biyomon, I know you can hear me! I know you know who I am! Biyomon, please, you've got to fight him! This isn't who you really are!"  
  
Birdramon shrieked again, the firelight gleaming off her sharp teeth, and flapped her wings in consternation. The hot blast of wind burned on Sora's cheeks and caused her eyes to tear, but the girl pressed on, taking a cautious step towards her friend.   
  
"Biyo, remember that time you faced Meramon, when we were visiting the Yokomon village? Remember how we were both so determined to save each other, no matter what?" Birdramon rasped at her, the sound somewhat more hesitant than before. Sora took heart and stepped forward again. "And remember when Devimon split us all up and we wound up on that island? We had to make a fishing line out of my shoelaces, remember that?" She tried to smile, though her eyes brimmed with tears. "And then you carried me across the ocean to find the others, and I remember thinking about how high up we were, but I wasn't scared at all because I knew you'd never let anything bad happen to me." Her eyes spilled over, but Sora was oblivious to the moisture running down her hot cheeks. "I-I knew you cared about me, Biyo. I know you still care. I know that deep down inside is the real you!"  
  
Waseimon shouted something at his slave, but Sora ignored him, focusing on her partner, her best friend. "Biyomon, please!" she cried, shouting to make herself heard over another raucous screech. "Please, fight it! I know you can!"  
  
Birdramon shrieked, sounding torn, and danced in place agitatedly, her sharp white talons clawing gouges in the earth. She glared at Sora and drew herself to her full height, crossing her wings before her, and Sora noticed the beginnings of a yellow-white spark forming in their center. The girl realized with horror that Birdramon was charging up her Meteor Wing attack, planning to unleash it upon her.  
  
"Biyomon, no!" she screamed, abandoning her cautious approach and running to the angry phoenix. "Please, Biyo, don't! This isn't the real you! Biyomon, I - "  
  
The rest of Sora's plea was cut off by the roaring of flames, a burning maelstrom that whirled towards Sora, seeking to consume her entirely. The girl braced herself, throwing her arms up in front of her face, though she knew that would do little to protect her from the blaze.  
  
Fire surged around her, surrounding her on all sides, and she expected any moment to feel the flames start licking at her clothes and hair; but though she could sense the intense heat, oppressive as a hundred desert suns, she remained untouched.  
  
Hesitantly, Sora lowered her arms and peered around. Twin walls of flame leaped into the air at either side, scorching the earth and reaching hungrily at the limbs of trees high overhead, but Sora herself stood unscathed in the center of the inferno. Not sure what to think, Sora looked to Birdramon.  
  
The evil glow had faded from the eyes of the phoenix, who now gazed down at the girl with pale blue eyes full of love. As Sora watched, Birdramon glowed and shrunk; the girl let out a whoop of joy as Biyomon threw herself into her partner's open arms.  
  
"Biyomon!" Sora buried her tearstreaked face in the little digimon's soft pink plumage. "I knew you'd never let anything come between us. I had faith in you the whole time."  
  
Biyomon hugged her partner fiercely. "I'm so sorry, Sora," she whispered. "I-I wasn't thinking. I'm so, so sorry..."  
  
"Don't be." The girl knelt and held her companion's wingtips in her gloved hands. "You couldn't help it. Waseimon was controlling you." Human and digimon turned as one to glare up at the flabbergasted blue creature hovering overhead.  
  
"I'll bet you think you've won, don't you?" he snarled. "Well, I took the bird once, and I can do it again! And this time I'm taking you, too, helmet head!"  
  
"To the contrary!" shouted the powerful voice of the Ryuumon matriarch. The clan of dragon-digimon emerged through the trees, their missing brothers and sisters restored to them. All stared at Waseimon with absolute fury burning in their sapphire eyes. For the first time, the psychic digimon looked almost nervous.  
  
"Obey me!" he cried, darting at the Ryuumon. "I command you!" The enormous digimon simply stood in place, staring down their enemy, and the matriarch spoke once more.   
  
"If one small girl can break your hold over another, then we can do the same. Never again will we be cowed into doing your bidding, Waseimon."  
  
The tiny egg-shaped digimon sputtered indignantly for a moment or two, and then, to the surprise of Sora, Biyomon and the Ryuumon clan, began to shimmer. Finally, with a shriek of rage and a tiny explosion of swirling data dust, he simply disappeared.   
  
There was silence for a moment. "His power came from his control over other creatures," Ryuumon-sama said finally. "His Tsumemon henchmen have been defeated, and Biyomon and our clanmates are no longer under his command. We have nothing more to fear from him."  
  
"Thank you, little Sora," said one of the other Ryuumon, the rest of the clan echoing him.  
  
Biyomon grinned up at her partner. "Yes, thank you, little Sora," she said teasingly.  
  
Sora smirked back. "Hey, now. Who're you calling little?"  
  
Ryuumon-sama stepped forward and bowed her head to look Sora in the face. "We are greatly indebted to you, Sora. If not for your courage and determination, we might never have found our lost friends. How can we ever repay you?"  
  
Sora gazed back thoughtfully, then blinked. "Well, if it isn't too much trouble...could you maybe...tell me where my friends are?"   
  
She and Biyomon watched anxiously as the ivory-skinned digimon let her eyes slide half shut again, concentrating. "They are scattered far and wide," she reported, sounding faintly surprised. "You will have quite a job finding them all. But I sense one nearby..." She shut her eyes tightly, flicking her tail in concentration. "No, two. A human, such as yourself, and a digimon...an Agumon."  
  
"Agumon?!" cried Sora and Biyomon at once. The girl gripped Biyomon's wings gleefully. "That means Tai's alive, and he made it back to the Digiworld!" she cried. Turning towards Ryuumon-sama, she asked eagerly, "Where is he?"  
  
"He is crossing the desert, heading towards the lakeside," the matriarch replied, opening her eyes and fixing the pair with her blue gaze.   
  
Biyomon took to the air, hovering excitedly. "Come on, Sora! Won't it be great to see Tai and Agumon again? And once we meet up with them, we can find the rest of our friends together!"  
  
Sora smiled at her partner's exuberance, then turned and bowed to the Ryuumon. "Thank you," she said. "For everything."  
  
To her surprise, the entire clan bowed back. "And we thank you," Ryuumon-sama responded, smiling gently. "May the fates protect you on your journey, little Sora."  
  
  
Sora and Biyomon marched through the forest, heading for the lakeside where they would supposedly find Tai. Sora noted that the trees were beginning to thin, and sunlight was starting to seep in through the branches overhead.  
  
Biyomon paused, staring intently at something off to the side. "Sora, look!" she cried, fluttering over to a small, glittering object dangling from a tree limb.  
  
Sora followed and examined the object, recognizing it almost immediately. "It's my Crest," she noted with considerably less enthusiasm, untangling it from the branch.  
  
"So-raaaa," Biyomon said chidingly. "You don't still believe DemiDevimon, do you?"  
  
She fingered the Crest idly. "Maybe. I don't know, Bi. I still think this dumb thing was more trouble than it's worth. Wasn't worth breaking into Etemon's headquarters and getting Tai warped to who-knows-where and everyone else split up, that's for sure."  
  
Biyomon picked up on the true subject of her partner's thoughts and edged closer, wrapping her wings around Sora's legs comfortingly. "I know what you're really saying, Sora," she murmured. "Don't ever talk that way. You *are* worth it. You're worth *everything* to me."  
  
Sora knelt to return the little creature's embrace, fighting back tears. *I've cried enough for one day,* she told herself. *Time to get going and find Tai.*  
  
Biyomon took the Crest from Sora and looped it round the girl's neck. "Hang onto that, now," she said, her blue eyes sparkling with good humour. "I think it might come in handy."  
  
"And I think you're an incurable optimist," Sora retorted, grinning, as she rose to her feet. An easy silence fell as the pair made their way towards the forest's edge.  
  
Biyomon thought back to the confrontation in Waseimon's forest, when she'd been about to blast the girl with her Meteor Wing. She knew that expressing emotions was hard for Sora, but Biyomon sensed it was simply because there was too *much* to say; it couldn't be expressed in words, sometimes. But Sora had made the effort and bared her soul, and that warmed the little digimon's heart, filling her with a flush of affection and camaraderie. She gazed up at her partner and exchanged an adoring smile with the girl.  
  
*I love you too, Sora.*  
  
-fin-  



End file.
